Chapter 246 (1/2)
Chapter 246
Facing the Odds
Project Beat the Heavens: Day 1
”Argh! Godda's back crashed into the floor of the living roomHe'd just been ejected froain
How htThe twenty-seven tie reo, Li Yundong
His eyes blinked open the ht cheekZi Yuan's face was hovering inches above his, and she seeentle fingers wrapped the him out froo, threatened to consume him whole
”Are you okay?”
”Yeah” he croaked out, his voice hoarse due to all the screa inside the simulation
Zi Yuan rose to her feet”Wait hereLet one fro quickly towards the kitchen
With a soft grunt, Li Yundong rolled over and then got into a sitting position
A quick scan of his body put his mind at ease; at least all his liht about sohThat simulation was no virtual reality; no virtual world could eree
”Here”
Li Yundong flinched at the sound of Zi Yuan's voiceHe whirled around and saw Zi Yuan standing beside hilass of water in her handHe didn't even hear her approach
”Callass”The state of your Zhenqi is in disarray”
Li Yundong took the glass gratefully and finished the water in three huge gulpsThen, he placed the glass on the floor and ed his forehead a few times”I think I…” He exhaled shakily”I need a minute”
”Take your tilass fro taiA wave of calmness washed over him as soon as he did
Zi Yuan returned ain?” She pointed at the Purple Gold Jade Plate, which was still hovering in the air
Li Yundong studied the jade plate for ain silent wonderment the jade plate's radiance as well as the ethereal quality that it seemed possess in spades, just like its owner
”Hey…” Zi Yuan snapped her fingers and shook his shoulder a few ti shook his head slightly”Sorry”
”Ready to continue?”
Li Yundong looked towards the jade plate againAfter a few hed
”27 tries already, Zi Yuan” Li Yundong shook his head, then lowered his gaze to his lap”And I still couldn't even get past the first bolt”
The unspoken implication behind his words resonated soundlessly inside the apartloohed”It would be unwise to try again until I've coaze and stared into Zi Yuan's eyes”I'd just be wasting the jade plate's spiritual energy if I keep going in blindly”
Zi Yuan nodded”You have a point” She sighed and lowered herself to the floor in one elegantside by side on the floor, staring at the spinning jade plate
”Did you at least learn so's gaze went from the jade plate towards his mentor
Zi Yuan's expression was calh the stiff set of her shoulders betrayed her worry
He gave her a se some of her stress
”Well, I think I knohat the problem is,” he said
Zi Yuan inched closer towards hi said before looking away”I couldn't dodge in tihed heavily”It's like” He rolled his fingers into a fist and shook it a few ti, but”
”But you were hit before you could evenuncurled his fingers and lowered his hand to his lap
A long silence ensued
Zi Yuan seehts
”Maybe I' mumbled after a whileHe felt Zi Yuan shi+ft beside him as soon as those words left his li look on her face
”I mean, it's kinda pointless to think about how topaused for a few beats”No matter how fast I can ht” He shook his head
”Which htly”You have to knohen the next strike is co nodded”That's what I thought too”
”Hmm” There was a frown on Zi Yuan's features
”What is it?”
Zi Yuan glanced at him”I don't think you should eliminate movement speed fro pondered her wordsSeconds later, he snapped his fingers”RightCoz the faster I can move, the less I have to rely on premonition to compensate for my lack of speed”
”Exactly” Zi Yuan hesitated for a ave hi-qianbei seemed pretty convinced that you can pull it off”
Li Yundong chuckled huested the method if she didn't think I could”
”NahShe probably would've suggested it anyway,” Zi Yuan said, pausing to glance at him”Why wouldn't she when you have no other options? Don't forget that the alternative is to stand there and take those hitsOr—” Zi Yuan's voice hitched, and an uncharacteristic pallor spread over her features right then
Li Yundong frowned”Hey, you alright?”
Zi Yuan cleared her throat and regained her coh she hadn't acted like so narrowed his eyesWhat the hell was that about?
”There's so said, raising a brow”What is it?”
Zi Yuan gave hi, okay?” she said e fired backThat definitely didn't sound like nothing
Zi Yuan sighed”I was justI i hitIt jarredsaid without taking his eyes off her
”Yes” Zi Yuan rolled her eyes”Now can we focus on the proble to let it go
Zi Yuan released another sigh”You were right before”
Soht his attention, and he glanced over at her
”Yeah?”
Zi Yuan nodded”It is crucial that you h in hindsight, it should have less to do with conserving the jade plate's spiritual energy”—Zi Yuan arched a brow—”and ht hasten the co of your divine punish a few seconds to put two and two together”Coz the training strengthens er my Vital Orb becohed and ran a hand through his hair”I don't really have le room, do I?”
Zi Yuan rose to her feet and started pacing around the living room”LookThere has be a way to enhance your movement speed and sharpen your ability to sense the Heavens' striking intentWe just have to figure it out”
”Maybe you should teachthat you and Su Chan often did”
Zi Yuan waved her hand without slowing her steps”That will require you to develop your Yin Spirit,” she said distractedly”The divine punishe”
”Good point”
Zi Yuan reached the dining table, stopped, turned around, and then walked back towards the living roomHer steps were quicker now, -qianbei said it's possible” Zi Yuan whispered”But howWhat's the trick?”
”What about the Jindan's Aura?” Li Yundong suggested
Zi Yuan pulled up short and stared at him for a moment
”I meanI can still activate the Jindan's Aura inside the siht?”
”Of course”
”Well, the aura will give me a boost in speed, won't it?” he said in a hopeful tone
Zi Yuan nodded”It will” Then, she sighed”I'h”
”Whoa, wait a lanced up at Zi Yuan from the floor
”What?”
”If I can still activate the Jindan's Aura inside the sier as he slowly rose to his feet
Once he was up, he started walking towards the jade plate
”What is it?” Zi Yuan's voice sounded behind his back
Li Yundong paused at the edge of the circle of light on the floor”I'” He turned around to ht work”
The s tas poking against her left cheek, which was still stinging fro away froh Su Chan didn't dare move an inch lest she alert those mindless harpies (as Master liked to call them) to her presence inside the thick shrub
Gaaaah!!!
If only she was allowed to flyIf onlyThen, none of these fools would've caught up to her
Indeed, what a pain in her backside
Speaking of pain in backsides
Su Chan was pretty sure there was another annoying twig poking on her backside tooSu Chan sighed inwardlyThe things she would do for stealthUgh
Now she was starting to wonder why Master never tried to invent a spell to turn one's body transparentLike a
There was a rustle
”Did you find her?” one of those harpies said
”NahWhat about you two?” said a second voice”Any luck?”
”We've got nothing as well,” the first voice gruh,” said a third voice
”Yeah,” said the first harpy
”Think she's off the mountain already?” the second voice asked
”On foot?” The first harpy sounded skeptical”I doubt it”
”I agree,” the third harpy said”Shearound somewhereWe just have to find her before she leaves the ood”
HehThese useless biht they could catch herWhere did Gu-shi+bo find these women anyway? A brothel?
Su Chan winced internallyShe wasn't even sure if she should regard Gu Feng as her shi+bo nowFor all she knew, Gu Feng could be in on the whole treacheryWhy else would his disciples be running around trying to catch Su Chan? HNone of these fools would stand a chance if Yundong and Master teaonna be so pissed if we don't find the girl before daybreak,” mumbled Harpy 2
”I wonder why he wants to look for her all of a sudden,” said the first harpy
There was a loud snort, which came from Harpy 3”You have to ask?” Another snort”Youher with his eyes back there?”
There was a collective sigh
”Guess you have a point,” said Harpy 2
”I don't think he'd touch the girl though,” said Harpy 3
”Yeah? How do you figure?” said number two
”Seriously?” Harpy 3's voice was laced with incredulity”Didn't you see hoerful her master is?”
”Wait a minute, Master didn't tell you?” said Harpy 1
”Tell irl's master isn't here,” said Harpy 2
”YeahMaster said she changed herfor the school,” Harpy 1 said with a snort”Apparently, she ran away like a coward”
Su Chan clenched her fist and fought down the sudden irowl
damn you, peopledamn you all!
That wasn't even what happened! Master was anything but a coward!
”Yeah rightWhy would she leave the girl behind if she ran off?” Clearly, Harpy 3 had some brainsA littleJust a little
”Well, that's what Master told me,” said Harpy 1
Harpy 2 echoed with a low huet that news fro off
”Well?”
”I didn't really ask,” Harpy 1 said sheepishly
”Wait!” Harpy 2 suddenly said”I think it came from Grandmaster Liu” There was a pause”I overheard Master speaking with Mo-shi+bo”
A fourth voice interrupted the conversation just then
”Hey! You three! Why are you still standing around for?” A pause”We have a girl to find! Move your asses!”
Su Chan kept herself hidden within the thick shrub as the harpiesto pay for this, Mo Ahshi+Just you wait!
Li Yundong found hireen thein midair like in all the previous 27 sirassland
”Zi Yuan?” Li Yundong said warily”This is different froe of scenery ht help,” Zi Yuan's voice resonated in the sky”Besides, so like this is a closer approximation to your actual divine punishreeround instead of in the air
When Zi Yuan had suggested it, Li Yundong had agreed in a heartbeat siical sense: the act of flying would occupy a portion of his mental focus, which should all be directed towards anticipating when the Heavenly Thunder would strike
”There won't be , whatever it is that you want to try”
”Roger that,” Li Yundong said, looking up at the sky
”Ready?”
”Yup!”
Li Yundong formed Acalanatha's 2nd Mudra with his hands—the Immovable Mountain of Treasure
”In threetwooneBegin!”
”Na chanted at the saed his Three Gates
A thin, seolden sheet appeared and forHe had used this mudra to support over a ton of snow before, not to ical weapon
It orth a try
There was a bright flash followed by a crackle
Li Yundong could barely maintain the mudra's form when the bolt struck the top of the do's heart did a little flip when he looked up and saw that the dome was still intactYes!!!!!
Another flash
”Arrrrgggghhhh!!!” Li Yundong's hands flew apart as pain ripped through hi until a warm hand shook his shoulderZi Yuan
He opened his eyes and saw Zi Yuan looking down at him worriedlyHe was back inside his apart hiroaned”WellI'm still alive”
And his balls were still intactProbably
Zi Yuan let out a sigh, which quickly turned into a chuckleWhen their eyeswith aive you that,” Zi Yuan said”But it won't work”
Li Yundong frowned”Why not?”
”The y,” Zi Yuan said”That's why the dome shattered when it was struck by the second bolt” Zi Yuan arched a brow”Don't forget that there are 81 bolts in totalAnd each one will be 's heart sank to his toes”And the divine punishy to the point where I can use the mudras to hold off all 81 bolts of the Heavenly Thunder”
”That's right,” Zi Yuan said, then paused for a moment”Remember that yours is a special case” She chuckled wryly”You aren't even supposed to be thinking about facing the Heavenly Thunder at this stage…” Zi Yuan sighed wearily”Alright, lookEven if you dothe siainst the real thing”
”Right” Li Yundong hung his head low”Coz this is still just a si is still uess it's back to dodging, then?” Li Yundong asked, raising his head to look at Zi Yuan
They stared at each other for a few seconds before they both sighed
Li Yundong broke their eye contact and glanced towards the jade plate
Ti the Odds
Project Beat the Heavens: Day 2
Li Yundong had decided to skip all his classes todayActually, scratch thatHe'd already decided to skip for the whole weekWho needs classes when you could play dodge-a-lightning-bolt against the fearsoht filtered in fro the walls and floor with its hueThe sun gloeakly from the west like a beacon of dusk
Another day squandered where precious seconds had trickled towards oblivion and progress remained a for
”You know, Zi Yuan” Li Yundong paused, allowing his voice toroom
”Yes?”
”Maybe you know so spell” He rolled onto his side, the side facing the balcony”Like, I don't knowSo from the Earth element?”
Zi Yuan's incredulous chuckle drifted fro about?”
Li Yundong studied the scarlet glea skyThe color reminded him of the dress Su Chan had worn on the day they firsta”
”And what good will that do?” Zi Yuan chuckled again”The Heavenly Thunder will just blast it open anyway”
Li Yundong griht” Rolling over, he stared up at the ceiling
”Hey, you hungry?”
Li Yundong glanced towards the couch
Zi Yuan was staring back at higing away for hours on end trying to figure out the solution to sole hair out of placeThe woman was not fro if you're hungry,” Zi Yuan offered
An ie of Su Chan's chipmunk pouches instantly cary at all” He chuckled”To be honest, I would've forgotten all about dinner if you hadn't reminded me”
”Dinner?” Zi Yuan scoffed”You didn't even have lunch”
Li Yundong groaned and covered his eyes with his both handsAdht now, even though he knew that having soood
”Did you check the state of your Vital Orb?”
”Yeah,” Li Yundong answered”It definitely feels a lot stronger now”
Zi Yuan let out a low huh she didn't comment
”If those two pills you fed me the other day could double the size of onna happen once I'm exposed to the Heavenly Thunder” He chuckled”It's probably gonna swell up like a balloon”
”It isn't just about size,” Zi Yuan said briskly
Li Yundong lowered his hands froave him a small smile”You'll knohat happens thephase”
If he passed the Shentong phase
Li Yundong nodded and looked away
A hush fell upon the roo felt the need to end it
”I'm sorry, Zi Yuan,” he said softly
There was a long pause
”Whatever for?”
”For wasting your ti chuckle”And your resources?”
”Stop that,” Zi Yuan said sternly”I told you not to worry about any of that”
”I can't help it, Zi Yuan,” Li Yundong said tiredly”It just feels like I'hed”Su Chan was in trouble because ofbecause of me” He paused for a beat”And then, there's youYou're putting your own life on hold, hell, even risking your own life, just to help ust, then let out a sad chuckle”Looks like I'm still as useless as I was back then”
Zi Yuan sighed”Li YundongNow isn't the ti down—”
”These hands” Li Yundong raised his hands above him”These hands held so much power nowAnd yet what have I done with the his hands drop”Some hero I am” Another scornful chuckle”I couldn't even saveto say this once, Li Yundong, so you better listen up”
Zi Yuan's harsh tone put an end to his self- him to turn his head to look fully at his er in spades
Li Yundong gulped
”The twins' deaths aren't your fault” Zi Yuan leveled a harsh stare at hih your head, the better” Zi Yuan's eyes softened”You have to couilt at so isn't healthy at all”
”I know, sorry” Li Yundong sighed”Actually, I've already co uess getting hit by the Heavenly Thunder fifty-nine tio a bit haywire”
Another stretch of silence ensued
”It wasn't your fault, Li Yundong,” Zi Yuan said in a small voice
”I knowIt was—”
”If anything, it was reideHe stared at Zi Yuan for a few seconds, searching her face for a hint that she was only joking
The wo scoffed”Come onThat's not true at all”
”I didn't kill them, sureBut…” Zi Yuan shook her head”I'm pretty sure I could've saved the second twin if I wanted to”
Li Yundong blinked a few times
”I mean… I couldn't perform Qi Kinesis to the extent that you're capable of” Zi Yuan's eyes darted to his face”Your Qi reserves far exceed mineBut I could still reach the second twin” She looked towards hi Jiao,” Li Yundong supplied
Zi Yuan nodded”I could still reach Deng Jiao in time if I fly atrooht words to say
Before he could say anything, however, Zi Yuan rose from the couch and padded towards hi sat up fro position
”Wha—”